Carbon Original
by Dorrica
Summary: In this 'what if' scenario, one of the Cell Jrs manages to survive Gohan's wrath and ultimately becomes the Saiyan's charge, which could potentially be the best thing for him in the wake of his father's death.
1. Mercy

**Title:** Carbon Original  
**Summary:** In this 'what if' scenario, one of the Cell Jrs manages to survive Gohan's wrath and ultimately becomes the Saiyan's charge, which could potentially be the best thing for him in the wake of his father's death.  
**Rating:** T (for some violence and brief language)  
**Disclaimer:** The anime "Dragon Ball Z" and its characters belong to FUNimation and Akira Toriyama. I make no profit from these writings.

**Author's Note:** I actually started this story about a year ago. I worked on it almost every day for weeks, and then my interest fizzled out, and I stopped working on it for months. At the time, I had looked all over this site for stories that explored the possibility of one of the Cell Jrs surviving, as such an idea seemed so obvious. So obvious, in fact, that I was surprised Akira Toriyama himself didn't do it. But my search turned up absolutely no results, and I decided to tackle the idea myself.

Looking at this story now, I'm not as pleased with it as I had been in the beginning, but that's typical of me. I tend to not like the stuff I write after a while. It always seems great at the time. But since this story came so far, I thought it'd be a shame to just let it sit in my files and continue to collect dust, so…I'm posting the first chapter to see what kind of reception it gets.

* * *

_"Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it."_ - Henry David Thoreau

* * *

Chapter I:  
**Mercy**

Gohan stared at the ground through grief-stricken eyes. So his father wouldn't be returning? Did he truly believe that by staying dead it would make the world safer? How could he possibly be so sure of that? Didn't he know that Gohan needed him? It wasn't fair! Ever since Raditz had first come to Earth, their time together had more or less been spent fighting a foe. It was one obstacle right after another. They had never really had the opportunity to truly be a father and son, and now it seemed as though it would never happen. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Eighteen had left from the Lookout just moments ago, and Krillin had faced his fair share of teasing for his crush on the android. Gohan did well to put on a happy face and join in with the jokes, as everyone else seemed pretty at ease about Goku's absence. Sure, everyone was saddened, but the grief just didn't seem that heavy. Of course it was possible that it just hadn't sunk in yet.

Everyone seemed ready to head off now. Things were at peace, and it was time for everyone to go their separate ways. Gohan tried his best to force a smile for his friends, though deep down, he wanted nothing more than to scream his grief into a pillow, something he was certain he would be doing before the night was over. He was about ready to depart from the Lookout with his friends when he felt it.

The boy turned sharply, eyes wide.

"You're feeling it too, Gohan?" Piccolo asked calmly, looking off in the same direction with a hard gaze.

"Y-Yeah. It's…It's faint, but it's there," the adolescent replied, eyes narrowing.

Krillin narrowed his eyes in concentration, trying to feel out the energy. His eyes widened slightly within seconds. "Wait…that's not…" The bald fighter became borderline hysterical. "No! N-No, it can't be!" he shouted, gaining the attention of the other fighters.

"What? What is it?" asked Trunks as he became alert of everyone's distress, following the gaze of his friends.

"I don't think it's Cell," Gohan clarified quickly.

"No, it's one of the little ones," Piccolo added, clenching his teeth. "Somehow, one of those little runts survived, though it seems to be barely clinging to life."

Gohan growled, clenching his fists. "I'll take care of it."

"Wait, Gohan, I think maybe we should come with you," Krillin suggested, stepping towards the preteen.

"No," Gohan snapped angrily, his onyx hair suddenly flashing gold. "He won't be an issue. Everyone just go home. This isn't going to take long," he said darkly as he rocketed off the Lookout, speeding off into the distance and leaving the rest of the fighters staring after him in wonder.

Piccolo relaxed slightly. "He'll be fine."

"Are you sure about that?" Tien piped up. "I'm not so comfortable with letting the kid run off to fight that monster."

"Trust me, Gohan's power far exceeds our own, and the Cell Jr. may be alive, but he's weak. Gohan managed to take on all seven without issue. Now that Gohan's fully healed and even stronger, he should be able to take him out fairly easily," the Namekian responded with confidence.

"I guess," Krillin said, relaxing. "I know he went far beyond my expectations," he added with a smile.

0ooooooo0

Gohan ceased his flying, slowly looking down towards the ground. It didn't take him long to spot the creature. Even from his height, he could still make out the little blue speck crawling across the ground, clearly weakened. It was a fair distance from where the battle had taken place, and it was clear the creature had been trying to flee the scene since its near annihilation. It would be no surprise that the Cell Jrs could regenerate just like their father, which meant that a small part of one of the creatures had managed to survive, giving it the opportunity to sprout a new body. Sneering, the half-Saiyan crossed his arms and slowly descended. He felt his anger gradually rise as the view of the Cell Jr. became clearer and clearer. He touched down with ease, mere feet behind the struggling creature.

Sensing Gohan's presence, it turned sharply, eyes widening in fear. "So you're still here," Gohan growled, taking a step forward as electricity surged all around his glowing form. Panicked, the Cell Jr. began scrambling across the ground, desperate to get away. He didn't even have the strength to get to his feet anymore, let alone fly away. His energy had pretty much all been depleted. He remembered the pain of being severed in half brutally, a small portion of his lower half managing to stay intact. While he was able to regenerate his upper half, it left him practically defenseless. His reserves of power did not last as long as his father's, and while he could pack a powerful punch, his strength fizzled out fairly quickly if his opponent outmatched him, and regenerating more than half of his body pretty much did him in. Now that Gohan had discovered him, he knew he was a goner.

Gohan lifted off the ground again and touched down directly in front of the Cell Jr.'s path. The android ceased his crawling and stared up at the Super Saiyan in horror, trembling in uncontrollable fright. "This is the end of the line for you," Gohan said coldly as he lifted his hand, an orb of energy taking shape in his palm. The smaller being looked down in defeat, squeezing his eyes shut as tears threatened to fall. He could only hope that the Saiyan would make it quick.

_"Gohan, stop!"_ the boy heard a voice shout in his mind. The young Saiyan looked up in alarm, momentarily forgetting the small android trembling at his feet.

"D-Dad?"

_"Don't do it, son. Just let him go."_

"But…But Dad, I can't let him live! He's dangerous!"

"_Gohan, he can't even fight. It would be incredibly cold-hearted to kill him like this. I raised you better than that."_

"But Dad, I…he…"

_"I always taught you to be merciful, Gohan, to be better than your enemies."_

"I'm not like him!" Gohan shouted to the sky, regaining the attention of the blue creature. He curiously looked up at the boy, tears residing at the corners of his eyes.

_"You will be and worse if you kill him,"_ Goku argued firmly.

"He's a monster! He deserves to die!" Gohan suddenly glanced back down at the Cell Jr., readying his attack once again.

_"Gohan, I don't know that it's fair to call him a monster. _Cell_ was a monster, but this little creature really didn't do much to justify killing him. He may look like Cell, he may be a product of Cell, but he's _not_ Cell. He never killed any innocent people or blew up entire cities. He just beat the stuffing out of us a bit," _Goku said with a chuckle._ "I don't think that's a crime worthy of death. Please, Gohan, don't punish him for Cell's crimes. Remember everything Sixteen told you."_

Gohan began trembling slightly, his conscience slowly but surely reemerging, telling him that his father's words rang true and that he should spare the creature.

"I can't just let him go," he argued, a small part of him still wanting to blow this creature away, though it was getting harder and harder to stare into those tearful eyes and still wish death on the android.

_"I'm not saying to let him out of your sight. Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't cause any trouble. Only attack if provoked."_

The boy suddenly looked more annoyed than anything. "Great, so now you want me to be a babysitter?" He could hear Goku's laughter echoing in his mind.

_"Well, he is kind of kid, isn't he? With Cell gone, he sort of needs someone to look after him. I'm not so sure he can take care of himself."_

Gohan closed his eyes and sighed, the orb of energy fading from his hand. He let his hand drop to his side, opening his eyes to stare down at the creature again. Was it true what his father said? Was this creature a mere child, albeit a violent one? If so, Gohan couldn't help but feel sick at his stomach at the thought that he had been about to kill him, and almost gleefully at that.

"All right, Dad," the boy sighed. He could almost see Goku's smile in his mind.

_"I'm proud of you, son. Really, I am. I'm…sorry if I never said it enough while I was still alive."_

The half-Saiyan blinked repeatedly as tears threatened to fall. "I know, Dad," he squeaked.

0ooooooo0

Goku smiled contently as he withdrew his hand from King Kai's back.

"Are you so sure that was a wise decision to make, Goku?" the Kai asked with disdain. "That creature could still wreak havoc, you know. Letting it live is risky."

"Gohan's a very capable fighter, King Kai," the Saiyan replied with a smile. "He'd be able to handle the situation easily if it got out of hand. And you know how I feel about unnecessary violence, especially when a person can't defend themselves."

"Yes, but…" the Kai sighed as his voice trailed off. "I swear, there's just no arguing with you, Goku," he mumbled irritably. "You're as thick-headed as they come."

Goku chuckled as he patted the Kai on the back. "Trust me, I think this might be good for Gohan. I know him adjusting to me not being there will be difficult for him, and he needs a distraction right now."

0ooooooo0

After no longer hearing his father's voice, Gohan returned his gaze to the Cell Jr., who still looked understandably terrified. "Well…what are we going to do now?" he asked, more of himself than of the android. As he took a step towards the smaller creature, it instantly became panicked and scrambled to its hands and knees, crawling away from the Saiyan as fast as he could. Gohan simply stood and watched as the android managed to get to his feet and run a short distance before collapsing with a panicked yelp. Gohan's face softened slightly with pity. "You're too weak," he stated as he started making his way towards the Cell Jr. The blue android shrieked and forced himself to his feet again, using every ounce of strength he had to run, though Gohan could easily catch up to him if he wanted to.

The boy growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is going to be a nightmare." Gohan ascended into the air and began floating after the Cell Jr., not sure what he'd do once he caught up with him. What was he supposed to do with him? Put him in a box and then take him home and say, "Look, Mom! Can I keep it?" like it was some lost puppy? He was certain his mother would throw a fit, and Gohan wasn't even comfortable with bringing it home with him anyway, or anywhere else his friends resided. He didn't want to put anyone at risk. So what were his options?

Gohan suddenly felt the familiar presence of another, and he looked up, noticing a large sphere of energy hurtling towards the struggling creature. The boy rocketed himself off the ground and flew to scoop the android up before the attack managed to hit its target. Gohan looked back, noticing a crater roughly the size of a car where the Cell Jr. had just been seconds ago. Narrowing his eyes, Gohan looked in the direction from where the attack had originated.

"I thought I sensed that little runt's energy," Vegeta snarled as he descended towards them. Gohan touched down to the ground, placing the Cell Jr. down on the ground, who was now paralyzed with fear at this point. "Although I'm more surprised that you haven't finished him off by now. Just what are you doing, Gohan?" Vegeta gave a cold chuckle. "Playing with your prey before killing it?"

"We don't need to kill him," Gohan replied.

Vegeta scoffed, crossing his arms. "Did your father tell you that?" he spat. Gohan averted his gaze. "He did, didn't he? Yes, you were perfectly willing to blow that little bastard into oblivion, and Kakarot, ever the meddling one, told you not to."

"I know he's right, though. I'm just sorry he had to remind me."

Vegeta grit his teeth. "Fool. Don't be soft like your father! Don't let that little freak escape! You saw what he was capable of! It's best to end him now while he's weak!"

"If we all had the same mentality you do, then you wouldn't be here right now. My dad showed _you_ mercy, remember?"

"Did I ever say it was a smart move?"

"Well, you came here years ago, and we let you live, and yet the Earth is still in one piece, so apparently my father knew what he was doing."

The prince clenched his fists tightly. He pointed an accusing finger at the trembling android on the ground. "That little demon is a mindless killing machine! You are playing with fire here, boy! Just end it now, or I will!" With that said, Vegeta formed another sphere of energy in his palm. Gohan quickly stepped in front of the Cell Jr., lifting his hands in preparation for the attack. A golden aura suddenly surrounded him as he powered up.

"No, you won't."

Vegeta stared the preteen down, his teeth clenching nearly to the point of cracking. The energy faded and he turned to spit on the ground. "Fine," he snarled. "Let the little freak live. Just don't expect a helping hand from me when he goes on a killing spree. It'll be _your_ mess to clean up."

The prince turned and took off into the sky, his figure slowly fading from view. Glancing over his shoulder, Gohan noticed the Cell Jr. had started scurrying away again, still terrified of the boy. He once again took off after him, simply curious to know where it could possibly hope to go. After following it a short distance, he noticed the Cell Jr. find its way into a cave, which extended about thirty feet or so into a large rock formation. He touched down at the mouth of the cave, staring into the large opening as the Cell Jr. disappeared into the pitch blackness, seeking refuge behind a large rock. Gohan stood for the longest time, staring into the darkness as he listened to the Cell Jr.'s heavy breathing echoing off the walls of the cave.

"Man," the boy sighed, taking a seat on the ground. "How am I going to handle this?" He saw the reason behind his father's words, but there was still a dislike for the android that he probably wouldn't be able to shake any time soon. He wanted to be fair and merciful, but it was real hard to look at that thing without a flicker of anger. It just looked too much like Cell. Cell was all he saw when he looked at it. He knew it wasn't fair, but he couldn't help it.

Gohan looked up when he picked up on a different sound coming from within the cave. It sounded oddly like…crying? Yes, he was certain of it. It was crying softly, its sniffles and hiccups sounding much louder against the surrounding walls. Blinking, Gohan stood up and took a step into the cave, but he stopped suddenly when he heard loud rustling and a slight shriek, followed by absolute silence. Apparently the android was watching him intently, though Gohan really couldn't make him out. He took a step back and sat back down on the ground, crossing his legs and letting his hands rest on his knees. After several moments of silence, the crying resumed.

The Saiyan sighed and allowed himself to power down, his hair returning to its natural ebony color. For the moment, he didn't see any need to retain his Super Saiyan form. Right now the Cell Jr. wasn't posing a serious threat. But what if that changed? What would happen once he had time to rest and recuperate? Well, Gohan was sure he could handle him easily if need be. But how long was he supposed to look after him? Until he was certain he wouldn't cause any problems? How long would that take? Years? He sometimes still had his doubts about Vegeta.

The minutes gradually turned into hours. Gohan never left the mouth of the cave, except during the few instances when nature called, and even then, he only stepped a few feet away and never took very long. The crying had ceased at least an hour ago, and the cave had become quiet. He didn't even hear the slightest rustling, which led him to believe that maybe Cell Jr. had fallen asleep. If it weren't for the fact that Gohan had been paying close attention, he would have thought the android had snuck out. He thought about getting up and going into the cave again to try and coax him to come out, but Gohan decided to just approach this situation as though he were dealing with a frightened animal. Trying to get near it would only frighten it more. He just had to stay his distance and try to draw him out, letting it come to him on his own accord. He couldn't force his trust. But how long did he have to wait? And how could he draw him out? Maybe he should talk to him, but then what in the world would he say?

Gohan felt two familiar power levels approaching him, and he sighed, wondering how he was going to answer the questions he knew he would receive. He turned when he heard the two fighters touch down.

"Hey, guys."

"What's going on, Gohan?" Krillin asked. "You left more than three hours ago and yet I'm still picking up Cell Jr.'s energy. What happened?"

"He's in there," Gohan replied, turning to point a finger into the cave. "I was going to kill him…but my dad stopped me at the last second."

"Figures," Piccolo sighed.

"So…you're just going to let him run free?" Krillin asked, scratching the side of his head.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Krillin! I obviously can't let him out of my sight. I have to make sure he doesn't hurt anybody, but I don't know how I'm going to do it. I don't want to bring him home with me, at least not right now, and I don't want to take him to Bulma's place or the Lookout. I can't risk putting other people in danger."

Piccolo shook his head. "Goku…" he growled. "Your recklessness knows no bounds."

"I don't know," Krillin began, looking up at the Namekian, "I mean…I'm not surprised he'd tell Gohan not to do it. That's Goku for you, and besides, were the Cell Jrs. really _that_ bad? I mean, they might have roughed us up a little bit, but otherwise, they didn't do much harm."

"That's what my dad said."

Piccolo grunted. "Because they weren't given the chance. It's still a risk. He could easily do a lot more harm than he has if given the chance."

"Yeah, but…is it really fair to kill him based on the possibility that he _might_ do something bad, especially considering his actions weren't that bad to begin with?" Krillin countered. He glanced back at Gohan, chuckling. "I know I used to think that way myself," he admitted, his thoughts drifting to Vegeta. "I'm not saying I'm thrilled that little thing is running around, but…in respect to Goku, I'm willing to give it a chance. I gave Eighteen a chance, so why not Cell Jr.?"

Neither Gohan nor Krillin thought it possible for Piccolo to look less pleased.

"I just don't know how I'm supposed to do this. I can't bring him home, and yet I can't leave him alone," Gohan complained.

"Why is he in the cave, anyway?"

"Well, he's scared. He's still pretty weak, and he's still afraid I'm going to hurt him. Can't blame him, I guess. So…I'm kind of stuck here."

"Hmm…well, why don't I pick you up some things, huh?" Krillin suggested, smiling. "I know you've got to be starving. Just give me a few hours and I'll be back with some supplies."

"Thanks, Krillin," Gohan replied before the bald fighter blasted off, heading in the direction Gohan presumed to be Capsule Corp. Piccolo remained where he stood, arms crossed over his chest. "It's okay, Piccolo," the boy assured. "I'll be fine."

"Be careful, Gohan," the Namekian said sternly before taking off as well, heading back to the Lookout. The roar of his friend's flight gradually faded, and the half-Saiyan suddenly felt completely alone, despite the android cowering in the cave. Moments later, his stomach gave a growl so loud it probably could have frightened animals. Gohan sighed, clutching his stomach. He glanced into the cave, suddenly curious.

"Hey…do you eat food?" he called to the creature. "You know…food food?" Gohan had to wonder how the creature would sustain himself. He didn't ever recall seeing any of the Cell Jrs. with a tail, to which he was grateful for, as it meant no absorbing people, but did he still need to eat? Was he more like a Namekian and just needed water?

Gohan waited patiently, but he received no answer.

"Yep…this is going to take a while."


	2. Coaxing

Chapter II:  
**Coaxing**

Roughly three hours passed before Krillin returned, a large back pack secured over his shoulder. "Finally," Gohan said happily, jumping to his feet and approaching his friend as he touched down.

"Sorry, I had to go to Bulma's place and then to your house to talk to your mom, so it took a while," the diminutive fighter replied with an apologetic smile.

Gohan suddenly looked pale.

"So…how did my mom take the news?"

"About what? You or your dad?"

"Well…both, actually."

Krillin's face immediately fell. "Well, she was pretty upset about Goku, as you can imagine. It took her a while to finally calm down."

Gohan looked down. "And…what about when you told her what I was doing?"

Krillin stood silently for a moment as his mind had an involuntary flashback:

_"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY GOHAN ISN'T COMING HOME?! WHAT IS HE DOING OUT THERE WHEN HE HAS SCHOOLWORK TO DO?! DOESN'T HE KNOW I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK?! JUST WHAT THE HECK IS A CELL JR?! ANSWER ME, KRILLIN!"_

_"Ugh…U-Ugh…w-well…I…"_

"Fine, just…fine."

Krillin slipped the backpack from his shoulder and unzipped it. "I think you're all set for your little project here, Gohan," he said as he pulled out a thin, rectangular container, filled with about a half dozen capsules. "You've got your refrigerator filled with drinks and lunchmeat in this one," Krillin said, pointing to the capsule with the purple label. "You've got your cooking utensils in this one, and then there's more food in this one. There's other things in here, too but I'll let you find out what they are." Krillin handed the capsules off to his friend. "But Bulma said you can bring him back to her place. She didn't seem to mind the idea."

"No…I don't want to risk it, and plus…I know Vegeta wouldn't be too happy. I had a run in with him earlier. I wouldn't put it past him to try and kill him while I'm not around."

"Yeah, good point." Krillin glanced into the cave. "Should I….maybe ask Korin for a senzu bean? I mean, he's weak, isn't he?"

Gohan momentarily glanced into the cave, mulling over the thought for a moment. He finally shook his head, looking back to his friend. "No, I think I should just let him heal naturally. He probably heals pretty fast anyway."

"Yeah, I guess it would be kind of risky to heal him," Krillin admitted.

Gohan nodded. "And, while it might sound kind of mean to say this, I don't want him to regain his strength to fight me yet. Right now he can't get away, and I want that time to try and gain his trust."

"What makes you think he'll listen to you?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just hoping that he isn't like Cell and instead was just programmed to follow orders. I'm hoping maybe I can-"

"Get him to listen to you instead?"

"Yeah."

"Well, good luck with that, that's all I have to say." Krillin glanced back into the bag. "Oh, and before I forget…Chi Chi gave me these to give to you." He reached into the bag and pulled out a stack of books. He chuckled as he held them up. "Surprise, surprise."

Gohan sighed, taking the textbooks with disdain. He just couldn't escape his studies for anything.

"You want me to hang here and keep you company tonight?"

"No, it's okay. I kind of want to focus my time with Cell Jr. I have a feeling this is going to take a little dedication. But listen, when you see Trunks off tomorrow, be sure to tell him bye for me, and tell him I'm really sorry I wasn't there."

"Can do. See ya, Gohan." After waving goodbye, Krillin took off and disappeared into the sunset, leaving Gohan alone again, with only the tightlipped Cell Jr. to keep him company. He placed his textbooks aside and decided to fix something to eat. There was plenty of lunch meat for sandwiches, which he had to admit sounded pretty good, and it was simple enough to fix. But he first went to work at setting up a campfire to provide himself warmth and light. Once that was taken care of, he quickly found the bread and grabbed two small plates. He stacked a wide variety of meats and cheeses onto the bread, topping it off with lettuce. "I guess that's enough," he sighed as he studied the tall sandwich, which was almost too tall for his mouth. He knew he could eat more, but he didn't want to waste all the lunchmeat on the first night. He prepared a second sandwich, wondering if there was any point.

After topping off the sandwich, Gohan picked up the plate and made his way into the cave. He could barely make out Cell Jr.'s form, but it was still clear to see that the creature was cowering away from him. Seeing how afraid he was, Gohan didn't take another step further. He bent down to place the sandwich on the ground, hoping he'd accept. "I don't know if you eat or not," he said. "It's a sandwich." Straightening up, he slowly backed away. "Eat up, it's good."

Gohan returned to the campfire and grabbed his sandwich, chomping down with glee. As he chewed vigorously, he listened closely for any movements from Cell Jr. After about five minutes or so, Gohan figured the creature wasn't going to touch the food, but his ears perked when he heard a slight rustling, followed by the sound of a plate scraping against the rocky ground. Gohan smiled to himself, taking another bite.

0ooooooo0

It was late, Gohan knew that. The fire was slowly dying, and the stars had moved, yet he was still unable to sleep, or didn't want to sleep, rather. It was only when he had unrolled his sleeping bag and snuggled into its warmth that he realized the possibility that Cell Jr. would sneak off while he was fast asleep, and there was no guarantee that he would sense his energy while he was asleep.

He had considered maybe threatening the android if he tried to run off, but Gohan decided against it. He wanted to gain this creature's trust, and if he threatened violence against him, he was only going to prolong that distrust. But how was he supposed to keep an eye on him while he was sleeping? He decided that for tonight at least, he was going to have to put up with no sleep, but he didn't want the android to know he was awake. He would see for himself if the android would try to escape if it thought he was asleep.

The hours ticked by, and Gohan's struggle to overpower his fatigue was looking more and more like an impossibility. But he still kept one eye on the cave, waiting and listening for the faintest sound of movement, but he didn't hear a peep out of the android. Time went on, and the stars slowly faded as daylight approached. Gohan sat up, yawning loudly. He didn't know how he was going to manage to get through the day without falling over from exhaustion.

Gohan stared into the cave, rather stunned that the android hadn't tried once to escape. Why was that? Was he just _that_ terrified? But he didn't really have anyone to fear, other than Gohan. Did he just not want to risk waking him up and making him angry? For the moment he just decided not to dwell on it. He needed to focus on trying to get the creature to warm up to him. It was the first step towards rehabilitating the android.

The preteen climbed out of his sleeping bag and went to relieve himself before rummaging for a snack. He found a box of donuts and quickly grabbed one for himself. Looking briefly towards the cave, Gohan grabbed a second donut and walked into the cave. "Hey, are you awake in here?"

Gohan noticed the android move slightly. He had been laying on his side, possibly asleep. Once he saw Gohan, he quickly sat up and crawled backwards, his back pressing against the wall firmly. "Umm…I brought you a donut," Gohan said, holding up the treat. "See? Just a donut. Nothing to be afraid of. Do you want to come and get it?"

The android looked away, drawing his knees to his chest.

"Well…all right." Gohan bent down and placed the donut on the ground, keeping his eyes on the creature. He turned and exited the cave, feeling as though he was making no progress at all. As he sat down on the ground, he could hear Cell Jr. shuffling across the ground to grab the donut. While he may have gotten the android to accept food, it still wasn't much to get excited over. It was so strange that this very creature had just yesterday been a horrible menace, and now his demeanor resembled that of a wounded deer.

"I don't know if this is going to work, Dad."

0ooooooo0

As the sun ascended higher into the sky, Gohan continued staring at the cave, still wondering how he could handle this. He had tried several times to approach the android directly, but he was just too scared. He would constantly scramble away from the Saiyan, crying softly. He had even tried getting him to talk, but he hadn't said a word. Gohan chewed his bottom lip, mulling over another idea. If he was going to treat this thing like a frightened animal, then he just had to do what he had always remembered doing when dealing with frightened animals.

"You know…I'd try to make causal conversation with you, but there's really not much we can talk about, is there?" he asked gently. Talking to animals in a calm, soothing voice had worked for him when he was younger. Perhaps it'd work for the android. It was a long shot, but a shot that he supposed was worth taking. "I'd normally ask people what their hobbies are, or where they're from, or what kind of foods they like, but there's really no mystery with you, is there? I mean, you're barely twenty-four hours old. You were born to basically serve your creator. Kind of a bum deal when you think about it."

Gohan paused for a moment to listen, wondering if the android might choose that time to respond, but he was unsurprisingly met with silence. "There's much better things to do than reeking havoc, you know. You could go swimming, play video games, go fishing, explore. Trust me, it's much more fun to go out and experience the beauty of nature rather than destroy it. When I was little…I used to spend all my time outside. I know I must have worried my mom a lot," the boy chuckled. "But I could never stay indoors. I just loved being outside, and there was always something new to discover. I never got bored. Anything that moved, I always wanted to follow it. I wanted to see the life every living thing lived. I always used to talk to the animals as though they could understand me. It was nice to pretend that they could.

"You could learn to love life, Cell. Your life doesn't have to be about destruction. Your father might have created you with the purpose of killing, but you should live your own life and follow your own path, not the path of others." Gohan smiled as his thoughts drifted to Sixteen. "Think for yourself, and you'll find a purpose that suits you. Sixteen didn't let Dr. Gero's whims restrain him. He found happiness in nature, even though he was created to kill my father. You can do it, too, Cell, if you let me help you. But you're going to have to help me first. I can't teach you if you keep running from me."

Gohan paused again. He listened very carefully, wondering, _hoping_ that maybe his words had gotten through to the android. He needed him to understand, otherwise he wasn't going to get anywhere. Just when he was certain that his words had had little effect, he heard a faint sound. He was certain it sounded like feet shuffling across the ground, cautiously approaching. The boy waited with baited breath, feeling as though his heart might take a pause as well.

A figure slowly popped its head out from behind a rock at the mouth of the cave. The little android stared at the Saiyan with mild curiosity, though there was still notable fear. Inch by inch, he pulled his entire body out from behind the rock. Gohan sat perfectly still, staring at the little android in amazement. The creature had actually worked up the courage to venture into the light. Gohan truly didn't think he'd even get this far, and now he was left wondering what he should do. Before he could even think about what he was doing, he made a move towards the android, though really it could have been viewed as just shifting his position slightly. Either way, it was enough to frighten the Cell Jr. and send him scrambling back into the darkness of the cave with a frightened yelp.

"Nice going, Gohan," the preteen sighed. "Geez, I barely moved." Gohan leaned back on his hands, staring up at the clouded sky. "Just be patient," he told himself. "It's only the second day."

Deciding to just ignore the android for a while, which he figured might lull the apprehensive creature into a better sense of security, Gohan grabbed his math book and decided to busy himself with his schoolwork, though he feared it might put him to sleep. With that in mind, he snatched an energy drink out of the fridge and settled down to study.

The hours slowly passed as Gohan jumped from subject to subject, though after a while the words almost looked as though they were swimming all over the pages. He yawned loudly, craving a nap. "I feel like I'm going to pass out," he said drowsily. He suddenly heard his stomach give a loud grumble and he quickly shut his book. "I guess that's the cue that it's lunch time!" he chirped, immediately gaining a spring in his step again at the thought of food.

The Saiyan set to work at getting out the cooking utensils and restarting the fire again. He wanted something nice and hot this time. He set the cooking pot over the fire and grabbed some water out of the fridge to fill it. His mouth had already begun to salivate at the thought of a hot bowl of stew. He didn't know if he'd be able to make it as well as his mother, but he had never been too picky when it came to food, much like his father.

Preparing the stew wasn't nearly as quick and easy as a sandwich, but Gohan knew it would pay off. He grabbed two bowls and scooped a decent helping of the steaming stew out of the pot. He filled both bowls and took one of them into the cave. "Lunch time," he said, taking a few steps into the cave. He didn't hear a response from the android, but he hadn't expected one. He didn't venture quite as far into the cave as he usually did. Hoping to slowly draw the android out of the cave, Gohan placed the bowl further back from where the creature was huddled on the ground and closer to the mouth of the cave instead. He walked back out without another word and tended to his own meal.

He gobbled up the stew with hardly a pause, though he still listened carefully to what was going on inside the cave. He could faintly hear the android retrieving the bowl, followed by the distinct sound of the spoon clanging against its edges as he ate. "Hey, listen, when you're done, could you bring me your dishes out to me so I can clean them?" The boy shrugged when he didn't hear a response, finishing up the last of his stew. "That hit the spot," he sighed happily, setting his bowl down. He picked up his geography book and resumed his studying. Just when he was managing to get engrossed in his reading, he heard an odd rattling sound. He glanced towards the mouth of the cave and noticed the Cell Jr. shuffling towards the front, carrying his plate in both hands, with the bowl resting on top.

The Saiyan watched the android curiously, wondering just how far he would go. It was no surprise when the creature stopped just three feet short of the cave's entrance. Gohan sighed but decided not to approach the Cell Jr. "C'mon," he said, waving the android over. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just bring the dishes over to me."

The android took a nervous step back, the bowl rattling a little louder against the plate. Cell Jr. bent down and placed the dishes on the ground before turning on his heels and running back into the cave. "You really are stubborn, aren't you?" Gohan called to the creature, getting to his feet. "Seriously, we can't stay here forever," he added as he bent down to pick up the dishes. He looked up and stared into the darkness, wondering if the creature was looking back at him. "Isn't it lonely in there? Why do you want to stay in the dark?"

Silence.

Gohan shook his head and left the cave. As frustrating as this was becoming, he knew he had to keep trying. His patience would pay off eventually, he knew it. The android had already worked up the courage to venture a short distance out of the cave. Gohan just had to keep coaxing him out.

0ooooooo0

The half-Saiyan filled the plate with rice and meat, humming quietly to himself. "All right, here we go again," he said as he stood up and ventured into the cave for the fourth time that day. He placed the plate even further from the android than he had the last time. "Come and eat," he urged, turning to leave. He sat down to eat his own dinner, all while watching out of the corner of his eye to see when the android would retrieve his meal. The boy watched curiously when he saw the Cell Jr. crawl towards his plate. To Gohan's amazement, the android did not take the plate and scramble to the back of the cave with it like he usually did. Instead, he settled down in front of his meal, pulling the plate into his lap, in plain sight of the half-Saiyan.

The android lifted the plate to his face and began shoveling the food into his mouth, occasionally glancing at the preteen. It was a good sign, Gohan knew it. The android was much closer to the Saiyan now and appeared relaxed. It was a big step in the right direction as far as he was concerned.

Not wanting to give the android another reason to cower away, Gohan continued with his meal, paying the Cell Jr. very little attention. Once the android had finished his dinner, he slowly got to his feet and cautiously made his way towards the front of the cave, coming much closer to the Saiyan than he ever had since fleeing into the cave. He swallowed nervously and placed the bowl down on the ground before heading back into the cave. Gohan smiled as he finished up his dinner.

"You're getting there."

* * *

**Author's Note: **First, I would just like to apologize for the short length of this chapter. This story as a whole isn't going to be an incredibly long one, and so the chapters aren't going to be that long either.

Second, I would like to thank everyone for the great feedback! All your reviews are greatly appreciated, especially since I was so nervous about posting this story! Again, thank you!

For anyone who is ever curious about the progress of this story and when it'll be updated again, you can always check my profile for quick updates on my stories. I will also likely be posting updates for all my stories on my Tumblr.


	3. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Chapter III:  
**One Step Forward, Two Steps Back**

As daylight dwindled, Gohan was already preparing his sleeping bag. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be sleeping tonight. His body just wouldn't allow another night with no sleep. Cell Jr. had not tried to run away the previous night, so Gohan could only hope that he wouldn't try it tonight. It was possible he had begrudgingly accepted him as his caretaker, even if he was still afraid of him.

Gohan yawned as he poked at the fire, glancing over the flickering flames and into the cave. He wished the android would just come out and stay out. He just didn't understand how he could enjoy hiding in the dark so much.

Glancing up, Gohan caught sight of something approaching from a distance. "Hmm…who's that?" The view of the flying object became clearer and Gohan smiled upon recognizing it. "Bulma!" He stood up quickly, waving a hand as the craft came in for a landing, its engine whining loudly.

"There you are!" Bulma said cheerfully as she swung open her door. "Just thought we'd pop in."

"We?"

"Mmm hmm, me and Trunks, and…Trunks," the blue-haired woman replied with a laugh as she unhooked the little infant from his safety seat. She held the baby close as she hopped down onto the ground, the elder Trunks following closely behind her. Gohan smiled brightly as he approached them.

"How's it going, Trunks?" he laughed, holding out a finger for the infant to grab. He glanced over Bulma's shoulder at the future Trunks, feeling relieved that he had decided to come along. Now he would get the chance to say goodbye. "I must really be out of it. I didn't even pick up on your energy. I thought you left already."

"Well, after I found out what was going on, I decided to stay a bit longer and come by to see you."

"I'm glad. I really wanted to be there to see you off."

The adolescent chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "Don't worry about it. Sounds to me like you've kind of got your hands full here."

"Right, so how's it going, anyway?" Bulma asked excitedly. "C'mon, spill it. Are you making any progress?"

Gohan glanced over his shoulder to look back at the cave. "I guess a little. He hasn't said a single word, but I've been getting him to accept food."

Bulma giggled to herself. "Wow, it's just like trying to get a rabbit out of a hole, huh?"

"Yep."

"Hmm…" Bulma walked past Gohan and towards the cave, incredibly curious.

"Careful. I really don't know how he'd react. His behavior is really…strange. I mean, yesterday all he wanted to do was fight, and now he's terrified. I just don't get it. If I try to go near him he starts panicking. He was even crying a lot. I didn't know what to make of it."

Bulma looked thoughtful for a while. "Well…my guess is he just doesn't know what to do with himself. I mean, think about it…Cell created him with the purpose of fighting you guys. In fact, he didn't even do anything until Cell gave the orders. Now that Cell isn't around, he's probably confused. He's just like a child who's been separated from his parents. He sort of depended on Cell. And not only that, he witnessed you kill Cell, along with his brothers, and you almost killed him as well, so it's not so shocking he'd be as scared of you as he is."

"Geez….when you say it like that, you make me sound like a monster."

Bulma turned to look at the boy. "I'm just stating facts here, Gohan. You did what you had to do, but now this little fella is facing a strange new world all by himself, with no guidance whatsoever. He's confused. Without Cell around to guide him, he's just…lost. It might take him a while to become adjusted to being on his own. It's a lot to swallow in one day."

"Well, I wish I knew how to get through to him."

"It sounds to me like you're doing just fine, Gohan. Keep doing what you're doing, it's bound to pay off soon. Just keep showing him that you're a friend, not an enemy. I don't think he's evil." Bulma smiled warmly. "I don't even think he's had the chance to comprehend what evil even is. He just needs a little love is all. He's never gotten that before."

Gohan glanced back at Trunks. "Do you think this is a waste of time?"

"It doesn't matter what I think, Gohan. But I won't lie, when I heard what you were doing, I thought it was pretty risky. It's not something I could have seen myself doing, considering how much I distrust androids, but I trust you. I know you know what you're doing. I just hope you are successful." The boy suddenly smiled. "Maybe if I come back for a visit, I'll get to see a new and improved Cell Jr."

The half-Saiyan looked down at his feet, feeling more determined now. "Well, I've come this far."

Little Trunks suddenly gave a loud squeal as he tossed a blue rubber ball he had been holding towards Gohan, who caught it in one hand. "Hey, good throw, kid," he chuckled, handing the ball back to the infant. The baby giggled as he held the ball back out to the Saiyan.

"Aww, he wants you to have it," Bulma giggled. "My little man is already learning how to share!" Bulma turned her gaze back to Gohan. "Well, listen, I guess we should be getting back. Trunks is going to need to be put to bed soon. Are you all right here? Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm all right."

The elder Trunks stepped forward, holding up a hand. "Take care of yourself, Gohan."

With a smile, Gohan grabbed Trunk's hand firmly. "You, too…and good luck back in your timeline."

"Thanks…Good luck to you, too."

Trunks led the way back the craft, his mother and infant self closely in tow. "You can do it, Gohan," Bulma told him confidently as she walked by. "I think this will be good for you."

Gohan stood and waved as he watched the craft lift off the ground, his heart feeling heavy as his gaze focused on Trunks. "Good luck," he whispered. As the craft faded from view, Gohan looked down at the rubber ball in his hand, bouncing it a couple of times. "Well…I guess I should turn in." Walking back to the camp, Gohan stretched his arms over his head and yawned. He settled into his sleeping bag and stared up at the night sky, his eyes fluttering. He glanced at the cave one last time before he finally succumbed to a much needed sleep.

0ooooooo0

Gohan awoke with a start, sensing that something wasn't right. He looked from the dying fire to the night sky, wondering what time it was. He slowly looked towards the cave, his fear mounting. Grabbing his electronic lantern, he rushed into the cave, casting light into the darkness and illuminating his surroundings. His greatest fear was realized when he saw that Cell Jr. was nowhere to be found.

"Cell!" Gohan called somewhat angrily, rushing out of the cave and looking around frantically. "Cell, where are you? CELL JR!" Gohan lifted off and ground and slowly ascended into the air, turning clockwise and counterclockwise in hopes of catching a glimpse of the creature. He stiffened when he sensed an energy to his left, though he could tell it was quite a distance away. "Oh, no," he gasped, the lantern slipping from his grasp and plummeting to the ground. "NO!" he shouted, rocketing in the direction of the surging energy.

He had never flown so fast in his life, yet he still felt like he was flying with the weight of ten anvils strapped around his waist. When he reached the city, his heart dropped into his stomach as he gazed upon the destruction. Nothing seemed to have been spared by the attack. Buildings were decimated, craters dotted the landscape, and most horrifying amongst the carnage were the bodies that were strewn about.

The biggest horror for Gohan was stumbling upon what was left of Capsule Corp. "No…No, Bulma! BULMA!" Gohan screamed, his eyes welling with tears. When he heard the maniacal cackling behind him, Gohan turned sharply, glaring with an intense hatred at the android. "You….You monster…I gave you a chance…You…You….I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR IT! I'LL KILL YOU!"

The Cell Jr.'s smirk grew even wider, his magenta eyes flashing. He watched as Gohan powered up to his Super Saiyan form, but within seconds of his transformation, his hair flickered and returned to its natural onyx, his golden aura fading. "W-What? What's going on? HHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he yelled as he tried to power up again, but he could not will the transformation no matter how hard he tried. He looked up at the smirking android, trembling slightly.

The creature slowly ascended to where he was parallel with the Saiyan, uncrossing his arms. He gave a cold chuckle as he raised one hand, his black nails growing a deadly nine inches. "MONSTER!" Gohan screamed, trying with all his might to power up, but it seemed like every time he tried to summon his energy, it only made him weaker. With a sneer, the Cell Jr. charged, plunging his sharp nails into Gohan's abdomen. The boy gasped and spurted blood from his mouth, staring into those cold, uncaring eyes.

"Bye bye," the android laughed as it held up a hand to the preteen's face, a sphere of hot energy taking shape. Gohan was suddenly blinded.

0ooooooo0

Gohan gasped as he awoke, looking around the campsite frantically. He placed a hand to his forehead, which he noticed was dotted with sweat. "It felt…so real," he said quietly, running his fingers through his sweat soaked hair. He nervously looked towards the cave, unable to stop himself from wondering. He wiggled out of his sleeping bag and grabbed his lantern before venturing into the cave. He had to see for himself. He had to make sure.

As he crept further into the cave, the light of his lantern fell over a sleeping figure, prompting Gohan to breathe a sigh of relief. Cell Jr. was still here, lying flat on his stomach with his arms folded under his face as he slept, looking quite innocent compared to the Cell Jr. Gohan had witnessed in his nightmare. Gohan observed him as he slept, wondering just how in the world he could be comfortable sleeping on that cold, hard ground. Frowning, Gohan walked back out of the cave, fishing for a spare blanket that had been given to him.

As the boy walked back into the cave, he could only hope that his dream was something that would not be reoccurring. He didn't think he'd be able to keep an open mind in this situation if his nightmares kept clouding his judgment. He had to stop letting his fears linger so much. Doubt would only weigh him down.

The Cell Jr. whimpered slightly but continued sleeping, its features appearing stressed. Gohan had to wonder if it was having nightmares of its own, perhaps of his enraged self standing before him, preparing to mercilessly deal the final and fatal blow. Gohan waited to make sure the android wouldn't stir before he knelt down beside him, carefully draping the blanket over his sleeping form. "I hope Bulma's right," he whispered. "You don't…feel evil. I wish you would trust me. I…really want to help you now more than ever." Gohan's eyes welled with tears as his thoughts drifted to his father. "I could really use a friend right now."

Grabbing his lantern, Gohan rose to his feet, wiping his eyes against the back of his hand. He turned to leave the cave without another word, unknown to the fact that one pink-colored eye had popped open, curiously watching him as he left.

0ooooooo0

The sun was fairly high when Gohan woke the next morning. Now that he had acquired the sleep he so desperately needed, he felt like a new person. He climbed out of his sleeping bag and rolled it up neatly, setting it aside. He straightened up and extended his arms over his head to stretch. "Day three," he said, feeling oddly confident today. Even if it was small feats, he had been making noticeable progress each day. He didn't know how far he was going to get today, but his biggest goal was getting the Cell Jr. to accept his company and not run from him every time he got within four feet of him.

Gohan fetched an apple from his basket of fruit, leaning back against a large stone. As he bit down into the fruit, he glanced towards the cave curiously, surprised to see that Cell Jr. had wandered towards the front of the cave, once again poking his head out from behind a rock to stare at the Saiyan. Gohan blinked and sat up, locking his gaze with the android. "Umm…hi?" Gohan noticed the android's gaze seemed to wander to the red fruit in his hand. He glanced down at the apple and back up at the Cell Jr. "Are you hungry? Do you want one?"

Cell Jr. didn't budge, still too afraid to fully venture outside of the cave. Gohan reached towards the basket and grabbed a second apple, getting to his feet. He cautiously approached the cave, hoping Cell Jr. wouldn't turn and flee like he normally did. He stopped just six feet shy of the android before sitting down on the ground. Gohan held the apple out slightly, the light gleaming off its waxy skin. Cell Jr. slowly stepped out from behind the rock, having a seat on the ground Indian style. He extended his hand in a wanting manner, hoping Gohan would toss him the fruit. The boy chuckled, shaking his head. "Nope, you're going to have to come and get it yourself. I can't keep bringing you food like a servant."

The Cell Jr. whimpered as he lowered his head, pulling his hand back.

"C'mon," Gohan urged. "You can do it. I'm not going to hurt you. You really need to get over being so afraid of me."

The Cell Jr. suddenly crossed his arms and scrunched his face up in a pout, which prompted a laugh from the boy.

"C'mon…I know you've gotta be hungry. What are you so afraid of? What do you think I'm going to do? If I was going to hurt you, don't you think I would have done it by now?"

The Cell Jr. looked nervously towards the boy and then down at the apple. Gulping, he slowly started crawling towards the Saiyan, terrified that at any moment the boy would turn violent and knock his head off his shoulders, just like he had witnessed him do to one of his brothers. He knew he could do it if he had the mind to, but he remembered the boy's eyes being so cold and ruthless when he watched him kill his brothers. He didn't see those eyes when he looked at him now, but it was impossible for him to shake his fear.

The android stretched out his hand as far as he could, his fingers grazing the surface of the apple. Gohan tried not to laugh as he watched the creature struggle to claim his prize without getting too close to the Saiyan. Cell Jr. managed to get a grip on the apple and he scooted back a couple of feet, sitting down on the ground with a look of triumphant.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

The android didn't answer as he held the fruit in both hands and sank his teeth into it. Gohan suddenly remembered the apple he had in his other hand and quickly took a bite as well. He suddenly got to his feet, startling the android. "Why don't you hang out here for a while? Aren't you getting tired of hiding in that cave?"

Cell Jr. finished off his snack and stood up, looking back into the cave with a conflicted gaze.

"Oh, come on," Gohan said, approaching the smaller being. "You've gotta be sick of hiding in there. Come hang out here for a while." Reaching out, Gohan gripped the Cell Jr.'s forearm in an attempt to lead him towards the camp, but the little android let out a loud shriek before slamming his fist into Gohan's chest. The boy gasped and stumbled backwards as the android scurried back into the cave. The Saiyan winced, placing a hand over his chest. "Man…why do I keep messing this up?" It seemed as though every time he took one step forward, he took two large steps back. If he kept getting ahead of himself and scaring the android back into the cave every time he worked up an ounce of courage to approach the Saiyan, they were going to be there for months.

Still rubbing his sore chest, Gohan returned to his camp and grabbed one of his schoolbooks.


	4. Progress

Chapter IV:  
**Progress**

The young Sayian scanned the rocky landscape, not quite sure when he had arrived at this particular location. Somewhere near here, he knew the Cell Games were taking place, but he couldn't make out anyone's energy, and what was worse, he couldn't seem to summon the strength to fly.

"Someone has to be close by," the boy stated as he started forward. "Dad?! Piccolo?! Can anyone hear me?!"

The Saiyan stopped abruptly as he felt the earth rumble beneath his feet. Casting a startled gaze towards the sky, he noticed several dark figures coming his way, appearing to be fleeing from whatever was causing the commotion. Gohan's eyes widened the moment they came within a rock's throw of him. The creatures were a spitting image of Cell, though much smaller and more blue in coloring. The boy instinctively took a fighting stance, though the odd creatures didn't seem to be paying him any attention. They looked quite panicked in fact, some of them suffering from minor gashes and scratches. Gohan followed their gazes, not sure what to expect. His father perhaps?

A new figure reemerged, barreling towards them at breakneck speed. The individual stopped suddenly and dropped to the ground, startling the three androids and forcing them all to take cautious steps back. Gohan immediately felt his knees buckle the moment he laid eyes on the individual.

"No…that can't be…"

Electricity surged all around the young boy, his aqua-colored eyes narrowed to slits.

"That can't be me," Gohan whispered, taking a step back.

The Super Saiyan's gaze shifted, finding its way to one of the cowering androids. The creature squealed in fear, turning to flee without a moment's hesitation. Gohan stepped to the side as it flew past him, watching it momentarily before looking back at his Super Saiyan self. The boy didn't wait long before charging the fleeing android, disappearing momentarily from view before reappearing directly in the creature's path. Before it could react accordingly, the Saiyan swung his leg out swiftly, severing the android in two with one blow.

Gohan's eyes widened in horror as he saw the creature disintegrate. Looking back over at the remaining two androids, he saw that the looks on their faces weren't much different, and their horror became even more apparent when the Saiyan set his sights on them next.

"Wait, stop!" Gohan cried out as he watched his duplicate charge once again. He only gave chase for a few seconds before he was able to catch up with his fleeing target. He drew back an arm and sliced through the creature's neck, severing his head.

Gohan couldn't believe what he was seeing. This was so senseless, so unnecessary. The creatures weren't even fighting him at this point, and yet he continued to cut them down without a second thought. Glancing off to his left, Gohan laid eyes on the only remaining android, paralyzed with fear after having watched its siblings be slain before his eyes. The Super Saiyan slowly turned to him, his teal eyes cold and ruthless, no indication of mercy present.

"Don't!" Gohan called out angrily. "You've done enough!"

But the Super Saiyan paid him no mind as he vanished from view, materializing directly behind the android. He shot his hand forward, piercing through the creature's back and out his chest, a sight so horrifically cruel that it nearly brought Gohan to tears. The android gagged, purple blood trickling from the corner of its mouth. The Saiyan drew his arm back and the android sank to its knees, collapsing to the ground in a bloodied heap. The Saiyan stepped back, pointing a finger at the unmoving creature. A blinking sphere of energy formed at the tip of his finger, which he fired quickly, consuming the android and completely obliterating it.

Gohan trembled where he stood, horrified by what he had just witnessed. "You…You…"

The Saiyan slowly turned to acknowledge him, his cold eyes locking with his gaze.

"You're not me," the boy whispered, fighting back tears. "You're…You're not me!"

His double sneered. "I am you, Gohan. This is your true power. You just didn't want to accept it."

"NO! You're a monster! I'LL NEVER BE YOU!" The boy suddenly rediscovered his strength and fired multiple blasts of energy with a feral cry of rage. His double simply swatted away the attacks, never blinking. He slowly raised a hand, a sphere of energy taking shape.

"You're no longer of any use," his double remarked coldly as he let loose his attack.

The blinding light overpowered his vision, and the boy let out an ear piercing scream as the energy consumed him.

0ooooooo0

The boy woke from his hellish nightmare with a start, glancing around the campsite frantically to reestablish where he was and that the horrific events he had witnessed were just a dream. Of course, the dream was hardly an exaggeration. That had been him. He had carried out those ruthless slayings without a lick of remorse. But actually seeing himself do it, even in a dream, left him feeling sick at his stomach.

Glancing towards the sky, he was able to ascertain that the sun's position hadn't altered, and so he had likely only been asleep for a few minutes. The boy then looked towards the cave, sensing the android's weak ki. "Still in there, huh?" he asked tiredly. He leaned back against a rock and stared longingly into the cave. "I'm running out of ideas here, Cell. I don't know what more I can do to get you to trust me."

The boy began drawing random shapes in the dirt as he desperately searched for something meaningful to say.

"But what more can I expect? In your eyes, I'm the one who's the monster. And…if you were to ask me, I'd probably agree with you. I lost control. I lost all sense of who I was and what I believed in." The preteen grit his teeth in agitation as he felt his eyes sting with tears. "I didn't want to fight! I knew there was a chance I might have to, but I was certain my father would be able to defeat Cell! I never expected him to put it all on me. I'm not a fighter like my father. He lives for it, but it wasn't something I had any desire to do. It was for the sake of my friends and family that I ever fought. That person that you saw out there…that wasn't me. Or at least that wasn't who I wanted to be. I knew what that kind of power could do to me. I wanted nothing to do with it! But the fate of the world was at stake! I didn't know what else to do! I was just as much afraid of that person as you were!"

Gohan paused to take a breath, waiting patiently for a reply, or even the slightest hint of music. He sat up straight, folding his legs beneath him as he leaned in. The silence that met him nearly prompted tears of frustration.

"Please…"

Again, nothing.

_He heard you_, he mentally told himself. _He may not have responded, but he still heard you. It's a process, remember?_

From then on out, Gohan simply continued with his routine. He fixed both himself and Cell Jr. lunch, leaving the android's plate at the front of the cave for him to retrieve when he was ready for it. He paid very little attention to the creature as he finally came out to claim his meal. He wasn't about to spook the android again. He had made that mistake one too many times already.

Gohan had occasionally mulled over the idea of possibly withholding food from the android. He would have liked to see if the Cell Jr. would come out of the cave and ask for something to eat if he was hungry. But was that too cruel? Was is wrong to hold his meals hostage just to get him out of the cave? But it wasn't so much to ask for. All he had to do was come out and ask for something to eat. Simple as that, but he still couldn't help but feel it was slightly mean-spirited. He didn't know how long the android would be willing to starve himself in order to avoid the boy. Gohan still found it hard to believe the creature was capable of eating.

Looking down, Gohan noticed the rubber ball that had been left in his possession. Bored, Gohan reached for it and tossed it into the air, letting it fall back into his open palm. After catching the ball a few more times, he stared at it with a thoughtful gaze, glancing at the cave out of the corner of his eye. "Hmm. I wonder…" he said softly, getting to his feet. He had a seat at the mouth of the cave, staring into the darkness where he knew the Cell Jr. was residing quietly. He glanced at the ball again, and then looked up with a grin. "Hey, catch!" he said before tossing the ball into the cave.

The Cell Jr. had been sitting quietly at the back of the cave, his legs pulled to his chest and his arms folded on top of them. He had noticed Gohan moving towards the cave and immediately became curious of his intentions, seeing as how he didn't seem to be carrying any food with him this time. He saw the ball being thrown into the cave, which bounced across the ground three times before hitting the wall, rolling to a stop beside the android's feet. Cell Jr. blinked as he reached down to pick up the strange object, squeezing it slightly. He glanced back up at the Saiyan, blinking.

Gohan waited patiently, hoping the android would respond and toss the ball back. He hoped that maybe being playful with him would bring the Cell Jr. around, but it didn't seem like the android could be bothered, which made Gohan sigh in disappointment, lowering his head. He was just about to get to his feet and walk back to the camp when he suddenly looked up, unable to react as the blue ball flew at top speed from the cave and smashed into the center of his face. Gohan let out a loud yelp as he fell back onto his back, vision spinning and leg twitching slightly.

"Ow…" he whimpered. The next sound he heard nearly made him question his sanity. He sat up abruptly, rubbing his red nose as he listened. Was that…laughter he was hearing? Was that android actually laughing? "Oh, you think that's funny, huh?" Gohan asked, grinning. "Nice one, getting me while I wasn't looking." The boy picked up the ball again and tossed it into the cave. "Not so hard, okay? This isn't meant to be a blood sport."

Seconds later, the ball bounced back out of the cave and into Gohan's open palm. "Better," he said, pulling his arm back and tossing the ball again. He wished he knew where he was aiming, but it was clear the Cell Jr. was catching the ball just fine. However, after the fifth toss, the ball didn't return, leaving Gohan wondering if the android couldn't find it this time. He stilled as he heard footsteps echoing off the walls, becoming louder and louder. He waited with silence, watching as the android slowly stepped into the light, the blue ball secured in both hands. Gohan slowly got to his feet but he didn't dare take a step towards the smaller creature. He simply waited for him to make the first move.

The aqua colored android tossed the ball lightly, which Gohan caught easily. The boy looked at him curiously and suddenly smiled. He leapt off the ground and rose high into the air, leaving the android staring after him with a startled expression. "Heads up!" he shouted as he tossed the ball with a bit more force this time. Cell Jr. rushed forward and caught the ball just before it hit the ground. He glanced up at the boy, who was grinning down at him playfully. Clutching the ball, the android rose into the air to join the Saiyan. He gave the smallest of smiles before he tossed the ball past the boy's head. Gohan immediately rushed after it, disappearing and reappearing directly in its path, catching it in one hand. "Let's see you catch this!" he shouted as he turned to his left and hurled it with all his might.

Cell Jr. quickly rocketed after the ball, grinning widely as he flew right past the ball, turning to catch it. He lifted his arm above his head and drew it back slightly, hurling the ball forward with a grunt. Hundreds of yards away, Gohan saw the ball come his way, making a loud whooshing sound as it sailed past him. He took off after it, unable to quiet his laughter as he extended his arm out and closed his hand aground the ball. He spun through the air one time, turning himself around again. He could see a blue speck heading his way and the boy grinned, tossing the ball up into the air and catching it.

As Cell Jr. came within close range, Gohan looked slightly to the right and threw the ball again, watching as the android careened off to his left to chase after it. He swooped underneath it and stopped in its path, lifting a hand up and catching it before it struck him between the eyes.

Gohan laughed, crossing his arms. "You're quick."

The android smirked, tossing the ball straight to the Saiyan, who caught it easily in one hand, though he winced slightly. He rotated the ball to his other hand and shook the one that caught it. "I think you could give any pitcher a run for his money." Glancing off into the distance, the boy smiled. "Come on!" he shouted as he blasted off, beckoning the android to follow. Cell Jr. took off after him, almost completely forgetting his fear of the boy at this point. Gohan turned on his side as the android caught up with him, throwing the ball his way. Cell Jr. extended both hands and caught the ball with a giggle, moving further ahead of the Saiyan. The two boys circled each other as they flew, the ball nothing more than a blue blur as it was passed between them. They disappeared and reappeared in different locations, bouncing off rock formations and somersaulting through the air as they tried to make each catch more dramatic than the last.

Gohan eventually slowed to a stop, breathing heavily. The Cell Jr. floated near him, the ball grasped in both hands. "That was…pretty fun," said Gohan as he attempted to catch his breath. "I didn't realize how much pent up energy I had. Did you have fun?"

The android smiled softly, giving a nod. Gohan straightened up. "Good. It's about time you got out of that cave."

Hearing a light rumble towards the south, both Gohan and Cell Jr. shifted their gazes towards the dark clouds approaching. "Great, the second I get you out of the cave, a storm approaches." The boy turned to the android and smiled sheepishly. "Well…I hope you don't mind having company this time." The boy nodded for him to follow him back to the campsite. "C'mon, let's take cover."

Arriving back at camp, Gohan quickly set to work at relocating all his things into the cave before the storm arrived. He settled down on one end of the cave's entrance, Cell Jr. sitting opposite of him. The two sat in silence as they stared up at the darkening sky. Storms were nothing new to Gohan, but Cell Jr. regarded the dark clouds with fascination, which Gohan noticed. "I guess you've never seen a storm before, huh?" he chuckled. "You haven't seen a lot of things, in fact."

Dust blew about as the wind picked up, the air becoming cooler. Their surroundings became darker as the sun disappeared behind the storm clouds. Gohan inhaled deeply, picking up the smell of rain in the air. "I used to be afraid of storms when I was real little. Every time I saw dark clouds, I'd run and find my dad. It was the thunder that scared me."

As if on cue, there was a loud, thunderous boom that seemed to shake the ground around them, causing the Cell Jr. to scoot away from the mouth of the cave in fear. "Yeah, like that," Gohan laughed.

The android slowly crawled towards the cave's entrance, staring nervously up at the sky. At that very moment, wet spots started appearing all along the ground. Cell Jr. blinked as he watched his surroundings become blurred in a wall of rain. There was a bright flash of light, followed by another rumble of thunder. The android pulled back slightly, still unsure of the strange phenomenon. He glanced towards Gohan, noticing the boy had stuck his hand outside the cave to catch the rain in his palm. Cell Jr. mimicked this, holding out his hand into the pouring rain. He extended his other hand, cupping them both together to gather a pool of water. He drew his hands towards his mouth and drank the water, realizing then how thirsty he was. He wiped the corner of his mouth and rested his hands on his lap, his gaze refocusing on the storm outside.

Gohan watched from across the cave, amused by how the android seemed to be in a trance. He took a moment to truly feel the triumphant of today's events. He was finally over the hill now. He had managed to not only get Cell Jr. out of the cave but also to interact with him. And now they were within feet of each other, and the android didn't seem threatened at all. The only question that remained was where did they go from here? Did Gohan work up the courage and take the android home with him? Did he dare face his mother? Was it really safe? Even if the android seemed docile now, could he still turn violent? Studying the creature closely, Gohan truly didn't see any reason to suspect the Cell Jr. would be a threat to anyone. He saw curiosity and wonder, not a thirst for power. It was like he was an empty capsule that just needed to be filled with the right knowledge. All he needed was the right person to guide him. He was an innocent child, and Cell's ruthlessness had almost corrupted him before he even had the chance to consider his actions. It honestly made Gohan regret having killed his brothers, but at that time, he just didn't think, and it wasn't as though he could have tried to talk sense into seven androids, especially with Cell still there to influence them. But saving just one was better than none.

"Looks like we'll probably be stuck here tonight," Gohan said, breaking a long silence. He looked to the android hopefully. "I'd kind of like to take you home with me."

Cell Jr. finally turned to him, blinking curiously.

"You might like it. We live away from the city, which will really be good for you. I mean, people might start panicking if they see you flying around. I might have to persuade my mom, though. I'm not sure how she'd react. She can get pretty angry sometimes."

"Mom?" the android questioned meekly, startling Gohan. It was the first word he had ever heard the creature utter.

"Ugh…yeah, my mom."

"What is…a mom?"

"W-Well, a mom is a parent. You know, like a father. They help take care of you, and protect you, just like a father does." Gohan chuckled softly, adding, "But sometimes moms can be a little overprotective, but they make you feel safe."

Cell Jr. looked down at his hands. "Do I have a mom?"

The question felt like a knife to Gohan's heart. "Well…no," he answered sadly, noticing the android's shoulders slump slightly.

"I don't have…a father, either," he said softly, staring out into the rain. Unable to bear it any longer, Gohan stood up and approached the small android, kneeling beside him.

"Listen…Cell wasn't a father. He may have created you, but he was no father. A father is supposed to love and protect his child. He's supposed to look out for them. Your father used you. He purposely put your life in danger just for the sake of battle."

Hearing these words, the android's expression seemed to change somewhat as he glanced up at the boy. "Are…you my father now?" he asked. Gohan's mouth fell open with the slightest gasp as the question echoed loudly in his mind, nearly forcing his heart to stop.

"N-No, Cell. No, I'm not your dad."

Cell Jr. looked back out into the rain, appearing more lost and without a purpose than he ever had before. Pushing through his guilt, Gohan placed a hand on the creature's shoulder. "But…I can be your brother if you want," he said hopefully. The android slowly turned to look up at him again, his magenta eyes appearing to have gained a flicker of life. He managed to pull the corner of his lips into a smile as he nodded. This brought a great sense of relief to Gohan.

A loud rumble of thunder suddenly shook the two boys out of their thoughts, reminding them that the storm was still lingering, though it seemed the rain wasn't falling quite as hard now. Gohan looked down as he noticed something move just outside the cave. "Hey, what are you doing out there, little guy?" he said upon realizing it was a lizard. He reached outside and scooped up the reptile, pulling it out of the rain. "You're going to get washed away if you're not careful." The boy laughed as he allowed the small creature to crawl over his hands and arm, pulling it back as it attempted to venture down his shirt. Cell Jr. leaned in to study the tiny specimen. "Here," Gohan said as he held the lizard out to him.

Cell Jr. held out both hands, and Gohan allowed the lizard to scurry from his hand and into the android's awaiting palms. The reptile scampered up his arm and perched itself onto his shoulder, flicking its forked tongue. Cell Jr. tried to reach for the reptile but it quickly crawled along the back of his neck. The android giggled as he tried to grab at the creature.

"Careful," Gohan laughed as he reached behind him and gently picked up the lizard. "Don't crush him." He held the creature back out to Cell Jr, who now looked more like a child than he ever had before. The life in his eyes as he played with the tiny creature, his laughter, his smile, it all reminded Gohan so much of himself when he had been so little and innocent.

The pair watched as the small reptile made its escape, scurrying down the android's arm and hopping onto the ground before disappearing from sight. "He'll be fine," Gohan remarked as he pushed himself to his feet and walked back to the other side of the cave, grabbing his geography book. "Not much else to do," he sighed, opening the book. Cell Jr. sat and watched as the boy held the book close to his face, his dark eyes rolling from side to side as he read. The android crawled towards him, eager to find out just what could possibly hold the Saiyan's attention for so long. He sat down next to the boy, stretching his neck slightly to get a view of the book.

Gohan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, snickering at his curiosity. He lowered the book slightly so that he could get a better view. "That's the Grand Canyon," he said, pointing to the large, colorful photo that took up the top half of both pages. "It's way out west. Pretty cool, huh? And look at this…" Gohan flipped over a few pages, revealing a photo of an icy terrain. "That's Antarctica."

"Anta…Anarc…"

"Ant-arc-tica," Gohan repeated.

"Ant…arctica."

"Good."

Gohan continued reading through the textbook, trying to study the information given, though it was difficult to focus with the android constantly trying to flip the pages to see the pictures before Gohan could finish a single paragraph.

"Stop it, Cell," he scolded, though his voice was quivering slightly with laughter. "I have to study this stuff for school." Gohan stopped reading suddenly, glancing back at the android. "Cell…" he repeated the android's name with a slight hint of dissatisfaction, prompting Cell Jr. to raise a nonexistent brow. "You know…I really think you need your own name."

The android looked puzzled. "I have a name."

"I know but…I don't really like calling you Cell. No offense, but I don't like being reminded of your father. I guess I _could_ just call you Junior, but that doesn't really sound good, either. To me, 'Cell Jr.' just doesn't represent a sense of individualism. It sort of reinforces the notion that you're a carbon copy, and well…I don't really see you that way. I think you're more than that."

Something seemed to click in the android's mind as the word 'carbon copy' left the boy's lips. "Carbon," he spoke softly.

"Yeah, exactly," Gohan replied half-heartedly as he continued to mull over a number of possibilities for a new name, not picking up on what the android was actually saying.

"_Carbon,_" he repeated, a bit more firmly this time. Gohan raised his brows, staring down at the creature quizzically.

"Huh?"

"Carbon," the android said for the third time, smiling this time.

"Wait…are you saying that's what you want your name to be?"

The android nodded. Gohan frowned, scratching the back of his head. "Umm…are you sure? I mean…it's not really…Do you really want a name that makes you sound…artificial?"

The Cell Jr. looked hurt at this point. "I like it," he said.

"Well…I guess. It's your name, after all, so you should get to choose what it is. Okay, if that's really what you want, I'll call you Carbon."

Carbon looked fairly pleased with himself. He settled in closely next to Gohan as he resumed his reading, peering over his arm to stare at the colorful pictures. After a while, the android's eyes began to flutter as they grew heavy from fatigue. He eventually found himself leaning against Gohan as his exhaustion overwhelmed him. He didn't know why he was suddenly feeling so tired, but he was hopeful that he could sleep more soundly than he had been.

Gohan continued with his reading, not even caring that the android was using him as a pillow. He would occasionally glance at the blue-colored android, still finding it hard to believe that he had woken up this morning still rather weary of the Saiyan, and now he was cuddled up next to him, sleeping soundly. Today's events gave the boy more than enough reason to be happy, but he soon found his good mood slipping below the surface as he recalled his words from earlier:

_"A father is supposed to love and protect his child. He's supposed to look out for them. Your father used you. He purposely put your life in danger just for the sake of battle."_

The young Saiyan suddenly felt sick at his stomach as he saw the irony of his own words. He recalled his battle with Cell with great disdain, painful images of himself being brutalized by the android making him visibly cringe. And then there was his father, standing off to the side and watching with a smile as the brutality continued, in much the same way Cell had after he had unleashed the Cell Jrs.

_No, no, it's not like that,_ Gohan told himself. _My father just wasn't thinking.. He just…He thought…_ Gohan grit his teeth, his studies forgotten. Did it matter what he thought? His father had still sat idly by while his own son was beaten mercilessly. The whole plan had been for him to get angry, and how _else_ could that have happened unless he got kicked around a bit? His father had _wanted_ Cell to hurt him. He knew Goku couldn't have possibly predicted everything that had unfolded, such as the destruction of Sixteen and the unveiling of the Cell Jrs, but it hardly mattered to the young Saiyan. Now that he had actually had time to sit down and mull it all over, it left him feeling bitter, angry, and above all, betrayed.

Images of his nightmare flashed through his mind and he winced with self-loathing. The person he saw in that dream was a monster, as far as he was concerned. But that had been the end result his father had been hoping for. That was the person he had pressured Gohan into becoming. _Why, Dad? How could you ever want me to become…that?_

The boy sat his book aside and glanced down at the sleeping android, suddenly feeling an urge to wrap an arm around him. Were their situations just two sides of the same coin? Did they really both have irresponsible and cruel fathers?

0ooooooo0

Gohan groaned as he woke, his arm feeling numb from having his head resting on it for most of the night. He sat up, feeling incredibly stiff. He spared a quick glance at Carbon, who he noticed was curled up on his side, still sleeping quietly. Gohan staggered to his feet and walked outside the cave to relieve himself. The rain had stopped falling hours ago, though there were large puddles of water scattered about, evidence of the downpour. They would likely be gone by the afternoon, and the rocky terrain probably wouldn't see another rain for several months. Gohan glanced up at the sky, noticing that the clouds were broken up, patches of a bluish pink sky visible amongst the gray.

"Well…I guess I can go home today." Gohan paused and smiled, adding, "_We_ can go home. I hope Mom's in a good mood."

After finishing up, Gohan started heading back to the cave, intent on waking the android so they could pack up and leave, but something didn't seem right to him. "That's strange…I'm barely sensing his energy…and he's just right inside the cave." Gohan's brows furrowed with concern as he kept walking, but he stopped suddenly when he noticed the android slowly shuffling out of the cave, looking anything but lively. "Carbon? What's wrong?"

The android groaned softly as though he was in pain, his legs beginning to tremble. Unable to support his own weight any longer, he fell to his knees, his upper body toppling forward and hitting the ground with a thud, his face splashing against a muddy puddle. With a cry of panic, Gohan rushed forward, turning the small android over and shaking him slightly. "Carbon! Wake up! What is it? What's wrong?"

He didn't receive so much as a whimper.

Gohan quickly gathered the android up in his arms and stood up, blasting off into the sky without a moment's hesitation. He held Carbon close as he raced across the sky, clueless as to what could have caused the android to suddenly collapse. What was most frightening was how low his energy was, and the fact that it seemed to keep dropping.

"Just hang on a little longer."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Oh my Gamikai, I'm so sorry for taking forever with getting this chapter out! Had it not been for the fact that I went back and added a lot to this chapter, then it probably would have been out a lot sooner. This was mostly due to a review I received. It also gave me another idea for an added scene. But besides making changes to this chapter, there's also the fact that work keeps getting in the way, so updates WILL be slow, I'm afraid.

Once again, thanks for all the feedback, guys! Especially to Ky111 and Turmanarmo for their detailed reviews!

I'd really like to find the time to sit down and do some art for this story, as there are so many scenes I'd like to illustrate. If anything, I'd at least like to whip up some sort of cover art.


	5. Limited Warranty

Chapter V:  
**Limited Warranty**

"BULMA! BULMA, ARE YOU HOME?" Gohan yelled as he approached the Capsule Corp. building. He was able to see Bulma's mother just outside, relaxing comfortably in a lawn chair with a cool drink in her hand, enjoying the fair weather. "Mrs. Brief!" Gohan shouted as he touched down.

The blonde woman turned and smiled cheerfully. "Well, hello there, handsome!" she greeted. "So nice to see you! Oh, and who's this little angel you have here?" she asked as she stood from her chair and walked over to greet them.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I need to see Bulma! Something's wrong with him."

"All right, dearie, just follow me this way."

Mrs. Brief quickly led Gohan into the building's main entrance, stepping behind he reception desk. "Just a moment," she said, picking up the phone and dialing a number. "Bulma, darling, Gohan's here to see you! He's got a little friend with him and the poor dear doesn't look so good." Hanging up the phone, Mrs. Brief smiled at the boy. "She's on her way down right now."

Moments later, Bulma emerged from around the corner, immediately focusing her attention on Gohan. Noticing the limp Cell Jr. in his arms, she rushed over. "Uh-oh, what happened?"

"I don't know. He was fine up until this morning. He just collapsed."

Bulma reached out and took the android into her arms. "I'll take him to Dad. He might have some answers. You just wait out here for a while, Gohan."

"But-"

"Don't worry, I'll come get you if we find out anything. Mom, would you fix Gohan something to eat?" Bulma asked before disappearing around the corner.

"Of course," Mrs. Brief said cheerfully, steering Gohan off in the direction of the kitchen. "Come along, dear. You must be starved."

"Wait! But I-"

"Don't worry, your little friend is in good hands."

0ooooooo0

Under different circumstances, Gohan probably would have ate every last scrap of food on his plate and then some, but he was far too anxious to stomach the meal. He tried his best to force down the food, all while glancing every two minutes at the clock. It had been close to an hour now, and he still hadn't heard a word from Bulma or her father. Mrs. Brief stood nearby, humming happily as she washed a few dishes.

"I can't take this!" the boy shouted, startling the woman. "I'm going to see what's going on."

"Oh, sweetie, won't you calm down? Everything will be just fine."

Gohan shook his head, standing up suddenly. "Obviously everything isn't just fine. Please, will you just take me to them? I have to see what's going on."

The blonde woman gave a sigh and motioned for Gohan to follow. He walked a short distance behind her, his concern mounting to the point where he almost felt nauseas. He just knew that whatever this was, it was serious. What else could have possibly made the android so ill? Gohan just couldn't believe that in such a short period of time, he had become so attached to the creature. Just a few days ago, he had been fully prepared to blow him away, and he knew he would have had it not been for his father. Now the thought of the android dying frightened him.

"Here we are," Mrs. Brief said as they stopped in front of a window, which offered a clear view as to what was going on inside. Gohan could see Dr. Brief hunched over slightly, staring intently into a microscope. He quickly sought out Carbon, who he noticed was concealed inside what looked to be a large, plastic bubble. The bubble was oval shaped, and Gohan noticed it was set up to filter the air outside. Unable to stand being in the dark any longer, Gohan quickly rushed inside, startling both Bulma and her father.

"Did you find out anything?"

Dr. Brief straightened his glasses and sighed. "I'm no medical expert, son," he said. "Especially when dealing with a patient as unique as this."

"I know, but…I didn't know who else to bring him to. I can't exactly take him to a hospital. People would have freaked out."

"Well…I've checked him over, looked at his vital signs, took a blood sample…I've even put him inside that bubble there just as a precaution. I didn't know what might have been wrong with the fella, but I don't think it's anything bacterial. This creature is an android, after all, so I don't know how possible it is for him to get sick."

"But something's obviously wrong!"

"I know that, son, but I just don't know what it is."

Gohan slowly walked over to the bubble, staring down at the blue-colored android, who he noticed was awake and immediately looked relieved upon seeing the Saiyan. He tried to muster the strength to sit up but was unable.

"The poor little guy was pretty scared when he woke up," said Bulma. "He really panicked when he saw the needle."

"Just like Dad," Gohan laughed.

"He kept asking for you. 'I want Gohan', that's all he'd say."

Gohan continued staring worriedly at the creature, feeling utterly helpless at this point. He wanted to tell him that he'd be just fine, but how could he possibly tell him that if he didn't fully believe it himself?

"Listen…I _do_ have a theory on what might be wrong with him," Bulma began seriously. Gohan snapped his head around to look at her. "I can't be sure, but…well, he _is_ sort of an extension of Cell. I'm guessing that Cell didn't intend for the Cell Jrs to survive very long outside his body. I don't think they_ can_ survive independently. I think their lifespan is limited. Cell probably would have just absorbed them back into his body once they had served their intended purpose."

Gohan seemed pale now. "What…What are you saying?"

"Well, you see how weak he is now. If I'm right, then the strain of being separated from Cell for so long is starting to affect him more profoundly now."

"Are you saying…he'll die?"

"Gohan, this is just a theory, a hypothesis, really. I could be totally wrong about all this."

The boy shook his head, clenching his fists as he turned his attention back to the android, certain he might cry now. "No, you're right, I just know you are. It makes sense. What else could possibly be making him so weak?" The boy's frown deepened as he placed a hand against the barrier separating them. Unable to do much else, Carbon weakly lifted a hand and pressed it as firmly as he could against the plastic, as though pressing hard enough would allow him to break through the barrier and make physical contact with the Saiyan. It probably would have broke had he not been so weak. "Don't die," Gohan begged. "Fight it, please, whatever it is. Fight it!"

"How?" the small android replied weakly, his voice a bit muffled. Gohan quickly turned to Dr. Brief.

"Let him out of here."

"Gohan, what are you planning to do?" Bulma asked.

"I'm going to take him to Dende and see if he can heal him."

Bulma's face harbored very little enthusiasm. "Gohan, I'm not so sure that'll even work."

"I've gotta try something!" the preteen shouted desperately. "I can't just sit here and wait to see what happens!"

"Oh…Gohan," Bulma sighed sadly.

"Please, let him out."

"All right, son, calm down," Dr. Brief replied as he stepped in front of the bubble and detached the air filter. He then dialed a few buttons on the small monitor near the front and the dome became unlatched, allowing Gohan to lift it up.

"Come on," he said as he slid his arms under the weakened android and lifted him up gently.

"What if it doesn't work?" Bulma asked, noticing the boy visibly wince at the thought of it failing.

"I'll…bring him back here, if that's okay. This is the only place I know he's welcome, and where he can be comfortable." Gohan cringed at his words. Using a word like 'comfortable' in a situation like this brought him no comfort whatsoever. He knew what it would ultimately mean.

"All right."

"Thanks for your help," Gohan said, forcing a very weak smile. With his charge in his arms, he quickly rushed out of the room and headed for the main entrance. The doors just barely had enough time to part for him as he rushed out. The half-Saiyan blasted off into the sky the moment he exited the building and quickly set his course for the Lookout.

0ooooooo0

Atop the Lookout, Piccolo hovered above its surface, his arms crossed and eyes closed while he concentrated heavily, canceling out everything going on around him. Mr. Popo was catering to the flowers, little Dende offering his assistance when he needed it. The Namek's thoughts had stayed with Gohan ever since he had left him alone with the Cell Jr., something he hadn't been the least bit comfortable with. He hadn't sensed any serious spikes in energy, so it didn't appear as though any conflict had transpired since he had departed, but there was still that nagging fear.

Piccolo's eyes shot open, and he gave a slight grunt as he felt a very familiar energy approaching the Lookout at high speed. Unfolding his legs, he touched down to the ground, making his way towards the edge, incredibly curious and even a little concerned. Dende noticed the elder Namekian making his way across the Lookout, and he quickly picked up on his distress. He hurried over to join him, hoping it was nothing serious, whatever it was that had the Namek's attention. "What is it, Piccolo?"

"Gohan's on his way here."

"Really?" Dende asked excitedly.

"I don't think he's just stopping by for a chat," Piccolo muttered dryly, eyes narrowing. Dende frowned, following his fellow Namek's gaze. Just then, a blurry figure that was obviously Gohan emerged, flying directly above them and then stopping suddenly in midair. They noticed instantly that the boy had not come alone. Dende didn't know what to make of the creature he was carrying, while Piccolo looked agitated.

"Hey, guys," Gohan greeted as he touched down, though there wasn't an ounce of joy in his tone.

Piccolo grit his teeth. "Why did you bring that thing here, Gohan?" he asked, trying to keep a calm tone.

Dende looked somewhat nervous but at the same time quite intrigued by the blue creature in his friend's arms. "What is it, Gohan?" he asked.

"He used to be called Cell Jr., but his name's Carbon now."

Piccolo resisted the urge to smack his forehead. "You gave it a name?" he growled.

"I didn't choose the name, he did."

"Wait…C-Cell?" Dende stuttered fearfully.

"Yeah, Cell created him," Gohan answered. This nearly sent the small Namek running for cover. It was probably due to the fact that the android appeared to be unconscious that he didn't.

"What's wrong with him?" Piccolo asked, more curious than concerned of the fact that the android didn't appear to be awake.

"I think he might be dying," Gohan replied as he knelt down, gently placing Carbon at Dende's feet. "He suddenly became very weak…and he just collapsed. Bulma thinks it might have something to do with being separated from Cell, that he might…"

"Have a limited warranty?" said Piccolo coolly.

Gohan winced. "Yeah. I was hoping you might be able to do something, Dende."

The young Namekian looked startled.

"Assuming that'll even work," Piccolo cut in irritably, "don't you think it'd be best to let him die? You did nothing wrong, Gohan. This way, the world will be safe and you won't have to bloody your hands."

The boy's sudden look of rage surprised the Namekian.

"How can you say that?!" he exclaimed. "Just let him die? No, I won't!"

Piccolo blinked, startled by the boy's passionate protest. Just what had happened after he had left Gohan roughly four days ago? What could have possibly changed so much in such a short period of time? When he had last seen the boy, he had been disgruntled about looking after the android and had even wanted to kill him prior to that. Now it was as though he was his own flesh and blood. But he knew Gohan had a naturally soft heart, much like his father. It had always been easier for him to love than to hate.

It was clear to see a drive in the Saiyan's eyes, a sudden need to protect and to guide. He had taken on a great responsibility, and he clearly had no intention of going back on it. It was then that Piccolo was reminded of himself when Gohan had first come into his care. He had had no desire whatsoever to get close to the boy, but he still fell for him in the end, and he knew he would have gone above and beyond to protect him.

With Goku no longer around, Piccolo had to wonder how Gohan's mental and emotional well-being would have transpired had the little android not existed at this very moment.

"Go ahead, Dende," Piccolo said, turning to the smaller Namek. "See what you can do."

Dende blinked, his mouth agape. "But I…He's…He's a…"

"It's okay, Dende," Gohan assured, almost desperately. "He's not bad, I promise you."

Dende knelt down, placing Kami's staff on the ground beside him. "Okay, I'll try." He inhaled before placing his hands above the android's body, concentrating his energy. A golden glow suddenly enveloped Carbon's entire form. Dende's features became strained as he tried to will his abilities to restore the android's health, but after about thirty seconds of not seeing so much as a twitch from the android, it became clear to everyone that his efforts had no effect. "I'm sorry," Dende said shamefully as he lowered his hands. "I'm afraid my abilities are limited. I'm capable of healing very serious injuries, but certain things like illnesses are beyond my power. Whatever this is, I can't reverse it."

"It's okay, Dende," Gohan said sadly, having already been prepared to hear this. He knew he had been clinging to false hope. "I'm guessing a senzu bean wouldn't help either, would it?"

"It might give him a boost in strength, but he would likely revert back to his weakened state fairly quickly," Piccolo replied.

The boy nodded. "Thanks for trying." Gohan gathered the android into his arms again.

"Gohan…" Carbon whimpered, trying to force his eyes open. "Did you…fix me?"

The android's words nearly caused the boy to crumble. While he was obviously trying to remain strong and composed, he couldn't hide his despair from Piccolo, who took note of the fact that the boy was trying to blink away welling tears.

"I'm going to take him back to Bulma's," he said softly, which quickly answered Carbon's question.

"What will you do?" Dende asked, a question that was just too hard for Gohan to answer without his words coming out as a choked sob.

"Hope for the best," Piccolo answered for him. "That's all he can do."

Gohan nodded slowly. He smiled at his companions, despite his grief. "Sorry for the intrusion. Wish I could stay longer, but I need to get him back."

"I'm sorry, Gohan," Dende said remorsefully, still feeling disappointed with himself.

"You don't have to apologize, Dende, really. I had a feeling it wouldn't work…but I had to try it. I couldn't just sit around and wonder."

Gohan turned his back to the Namekians as his vision became blurred. "Bye, guys."

The Saiyan lifted off and soured into the sky, dipping just below the clouds as he left the Lookout behind. There was no sense of urgency as he flew this time. He flew at only half the speed he had when he had gone to the Lookout. The android's eyes had fluttered closed again as he struggled to hold on to consciousness. He tried to focus his gaze on the Saiyan, though his vision wasn't very clear.

"I'm…dying," he said.

"No, you're not," Gohan snapped without thinking.

"You…said…you'd take…me back if…I couldn't be…healed. That…is where…I'll…die." Carbon's eyes closed again as he lost his will to stay awake. Gohan stared ahead and allowed the wind to carry off his tears as it whipped across his face. For a moment he had almost wished the android hadn't survived his slaughter, but he knew it was cold and callous to think that way. Even if his bond with the android was short-lived, he knew he wouldn't change it if he could, no matter how much pain it caused him to know that his time was short. It was out of his hands now, and Gohan knew he'd have to come to terms with it.

One thing was for sure, he wasn't about to leave his side for anything. He would_ not_ let the android die alone.

0ooooooo0

"Here we go," Bulma said as she opened the door to an unused room. "We'll keep him in here." Slowly stepping into the room, Gohan placed Carbon down on the bed, which sat directly across from the window, giving him a clear view of the city. Gohan pulled the blankets out from underneath the android's small form and drew them just up to his waist. He then had a seat on the edge of the bed, lacing his fingers together as he stared at the floor. "Hang on, I'll go get you a chair."

Bulma briefly left the room, while Gohan was left alone with the android, who still hadn't woken up since he had left the Lookout. The young Saiyan glanced at the weakened creature, wondering how long he had. How would he spend his time with the android in his last moments? What would he do once he passed? Where would he bury him? Why did he even have to think of such things? And it was then that he decided that he wasn't going to think about those things. Carbon wasn't dead yet, and until the android took his last breath, Gohan wasn't going to treat him as though he was on his death bed.

Bulma reentered the bedroom and placed a chair that she had retrieved next to the bed. "Is he awake?" she asked curiously, leaning over the small creature.

"No."

Gohan got up from the bed and plopped down into the chair, sighing tiredly. "This isn't fair," he whispered. "All my life, whenever people were in trouble and needed help, I always took action. I could never just sit around and do nothing."

"This is out of your hands, Gohan."

"I know that! That's why I can't stand it!" Gohan's fingers dug into the fabric of his pants. "I hate this," he whimpered.

At that very moment, Carbon finally stirred, immediately grabbing Gohan's attention. The boy was on his feet in a flash and standing over the bed. The android blinked and looked around, confused by his surroundings, though he immediately took comfort in Gohan's presence.

"We're back at Bulma's place," Gohan quickly pointed out. Carbon gave little response as he settled back against the pillow, his gaze settling on the city. "Can you eat?" Gohan asked him hopefully, but Carbon shook his head.

Feeling slightly out of place, Bulma moved towards the door. She stepped out into the hall and closed the door almost all the way, pausing to watch their interaction for a bit longer. It was as heartwarming as it was heartbreaking. Gohan was right, it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair for either one of them. Carbon never even had the opportunity to actually enjoy a peaceful life, and Gohan was now being forced to sit back and watch him slowly die. He didn't need this, not so soon after having watched his father sacrifice himself on the battlefield. Bulma had hoped to see nothing but good come out of this, a chance for Gohan's grief to be eased by the android's presence, a chance for him to still be happy even if Goku was no longer around, but she was slowly losing that hope.

"What are you doing?"

Bulma jumped at the sound of the gruff voice. She quickly pulled the door closed and turned to look at the Saiyan prince, brows furrowing slightly. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you since Trunks left."

Ignoring Bulma's question, Vegeta trudged forward, pushing her aside and taking a peek inside the room. He grit his teeth and quickly shut the door again, turning an enraged gaze on the woman. "Just what is he doing here with that thing?"

"Oh, will you just calm down? Really, Vegeta…"

"You let that thing in here? With our son sleeping just around the corner?"

"Oh, so now you're suddenly concerned for our son? Took you long enough."

"Don't test my patience, woman! You tell that boy to take his pet android and leave."

Bulma crossed her arms. "He's sick, Vegeta. I'm not so sure he's going to live much longer."

"Oh, then please, let me put him out of his misery," Vegeta said with a wicked smirk.

"Just stop it. He's staying here. He's not a threat to anyone here, especially in his condition."

"Either it leaves, or I do."

"_That's_ your best threat?" Bulma shrugged, waving the Saiyan off. "Go on, then, get out of here. Maybe after you're done pouting, you can come back and act like a civilized individual."

Bulma smirked as she watched the prince turn away from her with a snarl, storming off with clenched fists and muttering various curses. Shortly after the Saiyan had rounded the hallway, the door to the bedroom clicked and Gohan's face emerged. "I sensed he was out here," he said with a sigh. "I guess I have even more reason to stay with Carbon at all times."

"Don't worry, as long as Carbon's here, Vegeta won't be. Unless he can physically harm him, he won't want to be within two hundred feet of him."

"I hope," Gohan muttered as he shut the door.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Considering there was very little editing I had to do to this chapter, I don't know why it took me this long to finally publish it. After all, the chapter as a whole was complete. But there were just days when I didn't want to mess with it. Writing in general has taken a back seat now that I'm working about 5 days a week.

To my reader, Ky111...Seriously, how the hell did you guess all that? 0.0 That's incredible!


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